Civilizations
Soluna is an old planet, full of cultures and societies both ancient and new. These civilizations start as tribes and many stay that way, others grown and expand creating vast empires. Each civilization rises and falls, with the next empire being built upon the former. This cycle of birth, death, and rebirth is similar to how other societies in other worlds evolve. The very first semblance of civilization were the primitive Solunians during the Iron Age, their demise came in the form of one of the world shattering comets that have bombarded the planet ages before. ='The Umbrian Dynasty'= The dynastic period of the Umbrians begins during the Silver Age of Soluna, followed by the arrival of the first Caelean, and continues on for a small fraction of the Gold Age. Some say that the Caelean Empire and their subjugation of the Umbrians can be included in the timeline of Umbrian civilization. If this would be believed, then the Umbrian civilization would be the longest uninterrupted form of society on the whole planet. Otherwise, Umbrian rule re-emerged during the very end of the Gold Age and through the Platinum and Diamond age, surviving until the present day. The tribes of the early Umbrians were the first civilization to practice intensive use of the magical arts. The lands around the planet was barren when the Umbrians first emerged, created from otherworldly energies, the Umbrians could flourish where other beings could not. For centuries the early Umbrians mastered their craft, learning how to create matter from the darkness. They collected together, pooling their knowledge and their abilities to help further the species. These coalition of Umbrians grew and grew, creating the very first settlements of the age. In time they learned powerful arts that enabled them to affect the world around them. The Umbrians thus began to heal the land and mend the damage that the catastrophic comet caused. The Umbrians were also the first peoples to gather and worship in an organized religion. The ancient Umbrians, seeing the everlasting light of the ancient star in the dark canopy of their world, hailed it as their mother. They called this deity their twilight goddess, the earliest incarnation of the goddess Saluna. Ancient artifacts show that the early Umbrians would gather together in worship at various intervals during the day. The Umbrians, armed with faith and magic, were responsible for the recreation and cultivation of the early continent of Soluna. Seeding the land with new flora and fauna and tending to the ones left. For millennia they took on this monumental task, a sacred duty given to them by their mother goddess. The early Umbrians were migrant, traveling from one devastated spot to another, growing and multiplying as they went. During the final few centuries of the Iron Age, the Umbrians had established a couple of hundred small villages and had healed about a third of the ravaged land. It was during these final few centuries that the first Caelean was born. 'The Rise of the Caelean Lords' In one of the larger villages of the Umbrians, the location of which is lost to antiquity, a Caelean was born among them. Being incredibly religious, believing this to be an enlightened child of their twilight goddess, the Umbrians lauded the Caelean on high harkening the first form of government. “Of points of light they came in fire, from goddess bosom, from goddess loins. Amidst the plain of darkness they were of Her, far flung jewels o’er eternal void. ''Of points of light they lived as fire, from goddess crown, from goddess light. Their rightful place, ascended high, to rend the darkness, lords undying o’er eternal void. ''Of points of light they died in fire, from goddess tears, from goddess shadow. Their will receipt and given right by those they put asunder, remanded toward cradles o’er eternal void.” This was the start of the rise of the Caelean Empire. For the rest of the Gold Age that followed, the Umbrians were under the iron rule of their “chosen” people. They were utilized as slaves, using their magical arts to create the first buildings and eventually the first cities on the planet. This reign, though authoritarian, enabled the Umbrians to learn new skills, such as the first form of writing, agriculture, architecture, mining, alchemy, and civic building. Their time was also spent completing their pursuit of healing the land, and with the joined efforts of the Caeleans, built the very first temples to Saluna. At the end of the Gold Age, when the Umbrians summoned forth a large magical explosion thus ending the Caelean Empire and beginning the Platinum age, the Umbrians secluded themselves in the site of their rebellion. Their numbers now greatly dwindled after many deaths at the hand of their rulers and the sacrifices of those who ended their reign. Fearful that they would again bring about tyrants and that their powers would increase the ruination of Soluna, they sought solace with each other and with their faith, forever seeking salvation for the sins they had wrought. It is believed that the site of this explosion is located deep inside the Twilight Cataract. The magical force was strong enough to begin the evolution of the other races of Soluna, that it would be powerful enough to create a permanent scar on the planet. Considering that the “first” contact with the Umbrians happened when the Vaara elves migrated south, it could be inferred that they traveled down Heil and arrived in Az, as continental separation hadn’t completely happened yet. This act would have been the antithesis of the Umbrian’s campaign for restoring the planet. What the Umbrians did during their time of reclusion is a mystery. Historical records show a several hundred thousand gap in the timeline of the Umbrians. No proof of their existence and influence was found during this period and the first record of an Umbrian appearing was during the elven campaign against the ryth. 'New World Umbrians' When a contingent of Eidavaar elves ventured away from their empire in the hopes of finding a land unsoiled by draconian rule, they found themselves in a land where “the seas and land had ended and the sky had begun. In this land where nature had no power, the Watchers had greeted us and gave unto us the keys to our salvation, everlasting.” The Umbrians had taken heed of the elven plight and decided to help their cause. The ancient shadow folk bestowed upon the elves their knowledge of the magical arts and the skill to wield it. The reason why they chose to aid the elves, is unknown, perhaps empathizing with their despair, knowing how terrible subjugation could be. For centuries the two races lived together, exchanging information about the world outside. The Umbrians had sealed themselves away from the rest of the world that they no longer recognized it. The elves shared their unique knowledge of the new world, and the Umbrians taught unto them the ways of magic and religion. When the elves left this ancient land, they were forever changed, they had become the first Vaara elves. During their migration back to the bulk of the elven empire, the Umbrians had decided to go with them, to live and flourish in the new world. Filled with renewed hope, the ancient Umbrians needed to spread the word of their twilight goddess, in the hopes that all may find peace and prevent further abuses of one another. Their reintroduction into society paved the way for the various schools of magic practiced in the world today. The secrets to the creation magical items stemmed from Umbrian wisdom, their masks being the oldest forms of magically infused artifacts on the planet. At the time of their expeditious move away from their home, the Umbrians had reformed their ancient faith into what could be called the prototype of the Sophian Church. In time, they would bring about the world wide spread of the goddess Saluna, in a crusade of love and kindness towards all. ='The Caelean Empire'= The Caelean Empire was an authoritarian regime, set on the advancement of their species at the cost of all else. The vast amounts of knowledge that the Empire accumulated is ultimately responsible for all the advancements in technology, magic, medicine, culture, weaponry, and government that the planet has today. It could be said that the Caelean Empire forged the blueprints of all other empires that would live and die thereafter. The cities of the Caeleans were spread far and wide, beginning with the ascension of a few Caeleans who oversaw the Umbrians of his or her colony. With the aid of their goddess given gifts, innate powers that overshadowed the magic of the Umbrians, they began to expand. Creating citadels to their greatness, the Caeleans were the first peoples to utilize a work force. These Caelean cities eventually became the center of a specific form of knowledge and research, each one dedicated to whatever avenues it’s Emperor fancied. This division of specializations would later be used by other empires of Soluna. The first recorded cities devoted to the Caelean regime, were the cities of Mina, Kumbha, and Makara, named after the Caelean Emperors who establish them. 'City Districts of the Empire' Mina was the first to be created. The site of the first Caelean ever born, the village was also the central hub of all Umbrian life. Here they ancient shadow folk created a community around the Tear of Saluna, the comet that landed during the end of the Iron Age. This community was also the birthplace for the cult of the twilight goddess. Thus Mina, both the Emperor and the city, became the religious heart of the Empire. Kumbha, the second city was built high above the skyline, in what would now be the Himmel Peak, where its ancient ruins would be assimilated into the Draconian Empire eons after it’s fall. The city was devoted to the study of the weather, it’s effects, its patterns, and it’s sources. In fact most of what we know about the planet’s greater weather system is not dissimilar from what the peoples of Kumbha uncovered. Makara, the third city, was one of the most oppressed cities in all of the Empire. Their leader was born far north of the city of Kumbha, in the mountain range of what would be the future seat of the human empire of Konyu. Makara established a primitive doctrine of rulership and servitude, this would be the advent of the very fist form of government. It was also in Makara that rules and regulations reigned supreme, and those that faltered were crushed without hesitation. Makara was a feared city, it’s citizens garnering pity from even the other Caeleans of the empire. Dhanus was created near the city of Mina, in fact it was considered its sister city. Mina was devoted to the field of philosophy; the dissemination of the growing cult of the twilight goddess, regulating it’s rites, and creating a focus to it’s chaos. Dhanus was also more liberated than the other cities of the Caelean Empire, even during the civilizations peak. Umbrians were able to take positions of power within the city and were said to have been treated fairly and justly. This liberation would be a great source of discontent with the other Emperors of the Empire, as they feared that their Umbrian serfs would deign to know a life outside of service. After Dhanus, Mithuna was born. His city would be built to the service of higher learning, and in fact Mithuna was where the first iteration of what would be now known as an institution of learning, a school, was founded. The city was also the site of the early development of writing and of a numeric system. It also concerned itself with the study of the transit of the stars and the other celestial bodies in the void, giving way to the current calendar and time keeping system used today. On the edges of the land, Vrishika was born. His community, far removed from the others was the last to be built, even though he was the sixth to be born. Just before the unification of all the emperors into the city of Simha, the Emperors decreed that a city be built with the focus of housing the many dead that were piling up due to the harsh treatments of the Caeleans. So Virishka was built, a sacred city on the fringe of the Empire dedicated to the preservation of the broken, cracked, and splintered masks of their innumerous Umbrian slaves. The creation of a city scale mausoleum shows that the Caeleans had held a certain amount of reverence, even respect for those they’ve subjugated. The city of Tula was built upon the shores of a beautiful ocean, what would have been the ancient shores of the Dawnlight. The city was known for it’s expert craftsmen and artisans. A majority of the Caelean Empires pottery, statues, paintings, and jewelry came from the skilled hands of the citizens of Tula. Once the comet of their goddess was moved to Simha, it was the artisans of Tula that chipped away the rough outer layers and carved it into the Tear of Saluna. Devoted to the spread of beauty and aesthetics, the Empress Tula was said to even beautify the masks of her Umbrian slaves. Remnants of the city have been found scattered in the various islands of the Chain Archipelago. A colony at the heart of the empire was especially fertile, giving birth to three of the thirteen Caelean emperors; Mesha, Rishabha, and Kanya. This colony was thus ruled by the last Caelean born to them, the Empress Kanya. The city was focused on finding a way to further increase the Caelean population of the Empire, and reducing the number of Umbrians born into their lands, if not eliminating them completely. Medicine and alchemy were included in the fields of study, citing various beneficial uses of flora around Soluna Emperor Mesha’s city was a large smithy, where laborers would spend countless hours carving and manufacturing primitive daggers, spear, and arrow heads used in hunting. A large cache of these hunting tools as well as other tools used throughout the time, were recovered from the ruins of Mesha. Rishabha was a city devoted to the intensive cultivation of land, organized irrigation, and other forms of large-scale agriculture. Established in the fertile lands of present day Heil’s Gron Basin, Rishabha was a lush garden city. Millions of tons of soil and dirty were carried from the lands surrounding the city and placed in plots of ascending terraces. Here several species of trees and fragrant plants would be cultured. The Emperor Karka was born to a colony of Umbrians that were tasked with the laborious creation of the other cities. He grew up influenced by his parent colony, and made his focus that of architecture. The city of Karka was the most intricate of all cities in the empire. They were devoted to further pushing the limits of structure and form. The city of Karka had a layout unique to the time due it part to the architectural mastery of its ruler. At the heart of the colony stood the palace of the Karkan emperor, the first instance of any pyramidal structure in Soluna, with seven straight avenues radiating from it. In between avenues, in hundred feet intervals, were streets that connected the avenues together, encircling the city. During this time, a large remodeling seemed to have taken place throughout the Caelean Empire. The ancient palaces of the Caelean emperors were recreated, mimicking the steppe pyramid of the Karkan ruler. Former established cities too were shaped similarly to the layout of Karka, with much of the previous structures either integrated into the new ones, or destroyed all together. The final city to be erected was the city of Simha, named after the most powerful of all the Caelean Emprerors. As a testament to their glory and power, it was to be bigger than all the other cities of the land. Stories say that the citadel in the heart of Simha was “so high that its top pierced heaven, that it profaned the sacred veil of the void”. Named the City of Kings, it would become the seat of all twelve emperors. Once construction was completed, the Tear of Saluna was moved to the top of the tower of Simha, where it could be worshiped by the Caeleans who felt that only they deserved to look upon it. Their arrogance was so great that they created crowns forged from the comets pieces, a symbol of their lineage and of their power. At this time, the Caelean Empire, had spread world wide. This gigantic empire of legendary size was built upon the labors and sacrifice of many Umbrians, it’s stone their soul; the mortar their tears. 'Fall of the Empire' As the Empire grew throughout the Gold Age, so too did an underground movement of disgruntled Umbrians begin to amass. Foundering under the strain of their enslavement, with hundreds of their fellow Umbrians dead, they fought for their equality and liberation. Failing to receive justice and reparations for their harsh mistreatment, the revolutionary Umbrians devised a plan to end their suffering. Knowing that their powers were too weak compared to the special abilities their leaders possessed, they could not hope to destroy all twelve emperors separately, but with the creation of Simha, it presented an opportunity that the Umbrians had to take. In a great show of force, the Umbrians gathered around the city walls and pooled their magical energies into a conflagration of utter destruction. They annihilated their oppressors and crushed their tyrannical empire into oblivion. This surge of energy reverberated across the globe in a wave of magic, toppling every citadel, bastion, and sanctuary that took millennia to build. One account states that “the gray lands were overturned by a mighty squall, and flat upon the plains, you could espy the crown of the mighty Tower burn, the bottom swallowed, and the middle left standing to erode o’er time.” The Emperor Naga was born just before the apocalyptic fall of the Caelean Empire, without time to grow and mature, his life was extinguished just as soon as it was lit. Nothing is ever mentioned regarding the Caeleans after the fall; no proof of them surviving the catastrophe exists. It is believed that they were all brought to extinction, their power hungry desires scoured from the face of existence for eternity. The Umbrians hold the Caeleans in high distaste, the memory of their internment fresh in their minds. Much of the Caeleans are looked upon by history as tyrants, the first beings to oppress and enthrall an entire race. Though callous and despotic, the Caelean Empire has given much to the advancement of all the peoples of Soluna. Their ancient cities served as the center for all other empires that would rise millions of years after their doom. In this regard, their campaign had been a success.